Friday 11 October 2013

Real Life Fighting and Fighting in Tae Kwon Do

Many people misunderstood that learning an art of self defence will surely allow them to think that they are invincible, actually they are wrong in the first place. Why many people who is actually a Black belt that can be easily defeated outside the Doh Jang? That is because they thought that the sparring session in Tae Kwon Do is actually the real fight in the outside world.

To explain it literally, sparring session in Tae Kwon Do can be considered as a fight that is bounded by rules, but in the real fight, there is no such thing as rules. So,Tae Kwon Do is not the art of violence, it is an art of self-defence, it's purpose is to protect not destruction. When facing someone who is trying to taunt you, you can just ignore him, because a true warrior will not respond to such lowly challenges, but in certain times when he attack you, you must remain calm and have a cool mind to dodge his every attack and then find opportunity to counter attack. Do not fear, for you are well-trained and mentally prepared. But of course, this only apply as a final measures, avoid any fighting if you can, run away from it if you can.

Tae Kwon Do Pattern Interpretion

Tae Kwon Do Pattern is a set of movements and techniques that will effectively hone your skills. Each pattern's movement has it's own meaning and interpretion as well as story.

SAJU-JIRUGI
SAJU-MAKGI

two fundamental exercises which are practiced by the beginner. Because they are not actually considered patterns, they have no historical significance.


CHON-JI 
means literally the "Heaven and Earth". In the Orient, it is interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history. Therefore it is the initial pattern that is learned and played by the begginer. This pattern consists of two similar parts; one to represent the Heaven and the other the Earth. [19 moves]

DAN-GUN
is named after the holy Dan-Gun, legendary founder of Korea in2333 B.C. [21 moves]

DO-SAN
is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Ch'ang-Ho (1876-1938A.D.), who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement. [24 moves]

WON-HYO
was the noted monk who introduced Buddhism to the Silla dynasty in 686A.D. [28 moves]


YUL-GOK
is the pseudonym of the great philosopher and scholar Yi I(1536-1584A.D.), nicknamed the "Confucius of Korea". The 38 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace on the 38th degree latitude and the diagram represents "scholar". [38 moves]


JOONG-GUN
is named after the patriot An Joong-Gun who assassinated Hiro-Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part in Korea-Japan merger. There are 32 movements in this pattern to represent Mr. An's age when he was executed in Lui-Shung prison in 1910. [32 moves]

TOI-GYE
is the penname of the noted scholar Yi Hwang(16th century A.D.), an authority on Neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace on the 37th degree latitude, and the diagram represents "scholar". [37 moves]

HWA-RANG
is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group which originated in the Silla Dynasty about 1350 years ago. This group eventually became the actual driving force for the unification of the three Kingdoms of Korea. The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division where Taekwon-Do developed into maturity. [29 moves]


CHOONG-MOO
was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Sun-Sin of the Yi Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship(kobukson) which was the precursor of the present day submarine in 1592A.D. The reason why this pattern ends in the left hand attack is to symbolize his regrettable death having had no chance to show his unrestrained potential checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the king. [30 moves]


Reference: http://www.willtaekwondo.blogspot.com/search/label/%28K%29%20LESSON

The Theory of Power and the Principles in Tae Kwon Do

Power is obtained by using a person's full potential through mathematical use of Taekwon-Do. The average person only uses 10 to 20 percent of their potential power. Training will not necessarily give a person superhuman strength or stamina but rather enable a person to increase to a high level of power. There are seven components to the theory of power: reaction force, concentration, equilibrium, breath control, mass, speed, and sine wave motion. ;The formula for power is as follow:

P = ½mv² + mhg

P= power, m= mass, v= velocity, g= gravity(constant), h= height influenced by gravity(i.e. if no sine wave, mhg= 0)

½mv² = kinetic energy and mhg = potential energy

i.e. Loss in PE (mgh) = Gain in KE.




Reaction Force: 

Newton's law states that for every force there is an equal and oppsite force. Applying this to Taekwon-Do, if your opponent is rushing towards you at a high speed, by the slightest blow to his head, the force with which you strike his headwill be equal to his own force or momentum plus that of your blow. When the two forces are combined, it creates a greater reaction force.

Concentration: 

The concentration of force into a smaller target area increases the effect of the force. An example to prove this point is to observe water coming out of a hose. The smaller the opening in the hose, the greater the force. Therefore in Taekwon-Do, all the force is concentrated onto the edge of an open palm or the ball of the foot. All of your strength should be released gradually and concentrated at the point of contact with your opponent's body. The shorter the time taken to concentrate the force, the greater the force is behind the blow. All of your mental concentration is needed so that the muscles of your body can focus into the smallest target area.

Equilibrium: 

In order for a blow to be most effective, balance is required and without it one can be toppled quite easily. every stance should be stable and flexible in order to maintain balance in both offensive and defensive movement. To obtain balance, the centre of gravity must fall on a straight line between both legs, and this will vary with each stance. The centre of the foot may also be used if the bulk of the body weight is on that foot. Flexibility and knee spring are essential for both quick attack and instant recovery. It is also important to remember to keep the heel of the rear foot on the ground at the moment of impact to ensure balance and produce more power at the point of impact.

Breath Control: 

Controlled breathing is necessary for endurance and speed, helps condition the body to receive a blow, prevents loss of conciousness, and helps to stifle pain. An important rule to remember is to never inhale while focusing a block or a blow against your opponent as this will hinder movement and result in loss of power. Disguised breathing is encouraged to help conceal any sign of fatigue so that your opponent does not get the upper hand. Only one breath is needed for each movement. Therefore inhale on the preparation for the movement and exhale on its execution.

Mass: 

Force is obtained by speed and the corect utilisation of the body weight during the release of a blow. Using the knee joints to obtain a springing action and dropping the body weight into the motion can increase force. This action is obtained by raising the hips at the beginning of a motion and lowering them at the moment of impact.

Speed: 

When an object is dropped it increases its speed while falling because of gravity. Reaction force, breath control, equilibrium, concentration and relaxation of muscles all contribute to develop speed. These together with the flexibility and rhythmic movement, produce maximum power in Taekwon-Do. Because of the high speed involvedin Taekwon-Do techniques, it is important to remember to look at the opponent's eyes and not their arms and legs. we must train our eye to detect on-coming movements executed by our opponent, thereby allowing for the time it takes our reflexes to respond. Because the velocity (speed) is squared in the formula of power, it is easy to see why speed is considered the most important factor in developing power.

Sine Wave Motion:

Movement in Taekwon-Do is characterized by an up and down motion of the body. This up and down movement is referred to as "sine wave motion". The force delivered through blocks and strikes is increased by dropping the body into the block or strike immediately prior to and at the moment of impact. This effective use of body weight provides an increase in velocity resulting in increased power delivered to the target through the blocking or striking tool. Sine wave motion also enhances the flow and beauty of movement so characteristic of Taekwon-Do.

Reference: http://www.willtaekwondo.blogspot.com/search/label/%28K%29%20LESSON

Etiquette in the Doh Jang

Doh Jang holds the similar meaning to DoJo in Japanese Karate, which means training hall in Korean. In the Doh Jang, one must show respect to the Master and those who hold higher ranks than you are or seniors as we call.

Before starting the training, the students will be stand in their position regarding their ranks. The highest rank will be stand at the most left side followed by those whose ranks are lower than theirs until the lowest. Afterwards, the senior who holds the highest rank will shout: "Jun Bi" (which means be ready in Korean.) Everyone must be at a state of readiness for their body cannot move an inch. Later that he/she will shout: "Charyiot" (meaning attention in Korean.) follow by "JyongGye" (meaning bow in Korean.)

Whether you are in training with your juniors or seniors or even sparring with them. In Tae Kwon Do, you must bow with them first before you start, it is a symbol that you respect them as well as letting them know that you are ready.

Ranking System in Tae Kwon Do

Like all uniform units in the world, Tae Kwon Do emphasizes on discipline and moral ethnics as well as skills of combat. Thus the Ranking system in Tae Kwon Do is quite unique for it is determined by the colors of the belt that the practioner wear and each color of the belts represents a meaning as well as stages of life.

White Belt
White belt symbolizes innocence, it is wear by the beginners, symbolizing them white as a paper and are ready to accept new knowledge.

Yellow Belt
Yellow belt symbolizes Earth, where all life begins. Here it is a symbol where the beginners' foundation of Tae Kwon Do has been laid.

Green Belt
Green belt symbolizes the growth of a plant, meaning the skills of the one is slowly developing.

Blue Belt
Blue belt symbolizes the vast blue sky, it also signifies the heaven, towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training in Tae Kwon Do progresses.

Red Belt
Red belt symbolizes danger, it gives the warning to others to stay away as well as cautioning the students to exercise their power with caution.

Black Belt
Black belt's color meaning is the opposite of white, therefore, signiflying the maturity and proficiency in Tae Kwon Do. It also indicates the wearer's imperviousness to darkness and fear.

Even though you have reach the ranks of Black Belt, it does not mean that it is the end of your journey in Tae Kwon Do. There is also another ranking system in the Black belts as well. The black belt scale starts with the first degree and end with the ninth degree. 

In the degree scale, the number 9 was chosen because it was the highest single digit number. It is also the number 3 multiplied by 3. In the orient, the number 3 carries high esteem. In China the number 3 is written as three horizontal lines, one above the other. The upper line symbolizes heaven, the middle line symbolizes mortals, and the bottom line symbolizes the earth.Also, in regards to the number 3, the degrees are devided into three distinct groups. The first through third degree are novice stages of the black belt, the fourth through sixth represent puberty while the seventh through ninth degree represent mastery of the art.

Friday 4 October 2013

The Oath

As a member and a practitioner of Tae Kwon Do. We must sworn an oath, not just pledge our loyalty and allegiance to the organization but also making a promise not to misuse the martial art as well. Below is the the oath that will be taken by the members of ITF, GTF.

ITF Tae Kwon Do Oath

1. I shall observe the tenets of Taekwon-Do
2. I shall respect the instructor and seniors
3. I shall never misuse Taekwon-Do
4. I shall be a champion of freedom and justice
5. I shall build a more peaceful world

GTF Tae Kwon Do Oath
As a member of the Global Taekwon-Do Federation, I shall:
1. Respect rank and seniors
2. Be courteous to others
3. Be loyal and trustworthy
4. Strive for world peace and harmony
5. Act in the true spirit of Taekwon-Do

Grandmaster Park Jung Tae


Grandmaster Park Jung Tae
(1943-2002)

Grandmaster Park Jung Tae is the founder of Global Tae Kwon Do Federation (GTF). He was a South Korean master of taekwondo and a pioneer of that martial art in Canada. He was one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association. Following a career in the South Korean military, Park emigrated to Canada in 1970. He was a key leader in the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) under Choi Hong Hi, but founded the Global Taekwon-Do Federation in 1990 after leaving the ITF. After teaching taekwondo for many years, Park died in 2002.

Early Life
Park was born in 1943 or 1944 in Korea, during the period of Japanese occupation. He began training in the martial arts as a child, starting with boxing before moving on to judo and then taekwondo. Park was one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo of theKorea Taekwon-Do Association. In 1964, he was the second President of the Korean Tae Soo Do Association. From 1965 to 1967, he was ranked 4th dan and directed instruction of soldiers in Vietnam.

His Tae Kwon Do Career in Canada
Park moved to Canada where he met his future wife, Linda, in Toronto in 1970. During the 1970s, Park established the Manitoba Tae Kwon-Do Association. In 1975, he was ranked 6thdan. In 1978 and 1979, he accompanied Choi on taekwondo demonstration tours in Europe. In 1984, he conducted a seminar in Brisbane, Australia. At the time, he was ranked 8th dan in the ITF. In November 1984, Park was elected Secretary-General of the ITF. He also held the position of Technical Chairman of the ITF.
Park founded the Global Taekwon-Do Federation (GTF) on 14 June 1990, the year after his departure from the ITF due to North–South Korean political issues. He created six additionalhyung to be practised along with the earlier ITF patterns. Amongst those who affiliated with the GTF was Sabree Salleh in 1998. Shortly before he died, Park promoted Salleh to 9th dan(GTF).

Later Life
Park died on 11 April 2002 due to poor health, and is survived by his wife and their children: Juliann, Heather, and Christopher. Linda Park succeeded her husband as President of the GTF, and holds honorary 9th dan ranking.
Park is listed as a pioneer in Canada (1970s) in Chang Keun Choi's list of taekwondo pioneers.

References